Elaine J. Hanford's Bulletin Boards: 1) Geosciences; 2) Enviro-Sciences Awareness - 28 October 2013

Elaine and Spot are back again! Spot's already set for Halloween, and Elaine's got her shades on. 

Looking for a water-themed Halloween costume? Check out @gayleleonard's site: http://is.gd/cklMWr 

 

Enjoy!
 

Geosciences Bulletin Board
 

JUST FOR FUN!!!  
http://www.livescience.com/topics/halloween/

 

Special issue on ‘nonpoint source pollution’ --- link to individual articles
http://www.choicesmagazine.org/choices-magazine/theme-articles/innovations-in-nonpoint-source-pollution-policy

 

New invasive ant species along the Gulf Coast…but unlike fire ants, tawny ants don’t sting!!
http://news.yahoo.com/tiny-crazy-ants-giant-nuisance-u-gulf-coast-180854243.html
Reference info:  http://urbanentomology.tamu.edu/ants/rasberry.html

 

My prediction??   The superbugs will survive & will continue to get stronger (antibiotics are not the answer)
http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/ideas/2013/10/what-will-it-take-to-wipe-out-superbugs/

 

Acquisition of Smithfield Foods by Chinese food producer raises concerns for food security
http://www.seeddaily.com/reports/Outside_View_Chinas_ownership_of_an_iconic_American_food_company_999.html

 

Exposure to toxic levels of lead paint still a very common problem in developing countries
http://ens-newswire.com/2013/10/23/children-in-developing-countries-exposed-to-toxic-lead-paint/

 

Here’s a headline you don’t see very often…good news not hyped up dire warnings!!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/10401103/Ozone-hole-over-the-South-Pole-shrinks.html

 

Poison all the invasive rats….then let nature takes its course….island renamed “Bird Island”
http://www.livescience.com/40650-rat-island-renamed-recovered.html

 

FIRST venomous crustacean identified, other roughly 70,000 known species are not poisonous
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24625424

 

Monument of the most isolated tree…. “alleged” drunk driver knocked it down
http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/earths-most-isolated-tree-only-one-around-250-miles-was-struck-and-killed-drunk-driver.html

 

Poachers kill 300 elephants by putting cyanide in the watering hole & salt licks
http://www.treehugger.com/endangered-species/poachers-kill-300-elephants-cyanide-worst-massacre-southern-africa-25-years.html

 

Solanine poisoning in humans --- don’t eat potatoes that have turned green
http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2013/10/horrific-tales-of-potatoes-that-caused-mass-sickness-and-even-death/

 

Nitrate pollution from fertilizers can last for many decades
http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-fertilizer-nitrate-water-pollution-20131021,0,20455.story#axzz2iTd4XEMI

 

A resurgence of polio outbreaks in Africa
http://reliefweb.int/report/somalia/worry-polio-resurfaces-east-africa

 

Issues & history of human population… from Malthus to Ehrlich….  (with podcast & link to slides)
http://www.newsecuritybeat.org/2013/10/malthus-ehrlich-beyond-william-pan-roots-phe/

 

An artist’s view of human impacts on the environment (with photographs!)
http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/site_contents/Photographs/Water.html
Related article:  http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22029394.700-labyrinthine-m-c-escher-stairs-line-vast-indian-well.html

 

Massive wildfires in Australia…numerous contributing factors, causes & severe impacts (& videos)
http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/22/21073751-australia-fires-authorities-fret-over-bad-as-it-gets-forecast?lite

 

Rhino born from artificial insemination dies at 4 months… necropsy to investigate why
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=alabama-zoo-to-probe-death-of-artificially-conceived-rhino

 

One of the hottest items for rooftops of middle-class American homes
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=middle-class-homeowners-flock-to-rooftop-solar

 

Cold-water species that are major source of human food are not adapting to warming ocean
http://www.nbcnews.com/science/cold-water-fish-food-not-adapting-warming-world-study-says-8C11432387

 

Concern that culling of badgers in Britain may disrupt social structure & increase TB spread
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24587975

 

Changing government policy may have increased risk of rabies in Britain
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24569593

 

Wind turbines can be hazardous to human health:  “Wind Turbine Syndrome”
http://gma.yahoo.com/wind-turbine-syndrome-blamed-mysterious-symptoms-cape-cod-112835454--abc-news-wellness.html

 

CRS Report:  Statistics on Wildfire Management since 2008 & wildfire suppression funding
http://nationalaglawcenter.org/wp-content/uploads//assets/crs/R43077.pdf

 

CRS Report:  The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative – Background & Issues
http://nationalaglawcenter.org/wp-content/uploads//assets/crs/R43249.pdf

 

Enviro-Sciences Awareness Bulletin Board

 The importance of the Mississippi River plume to transport & fate of Deep Horizon pollution
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/New_research_illustrates_Mississippi_Rivers_role_999.html

 

Carcinogens from fossil fuel hub cause higher blood cancer rates in men
http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-alberta-air-20131026,0,954054.story#axzz2iqnWYAtv

 

AGI survey of recent geoscience grads…where they work & what they get paid
http://www.agiweb.org/workforce/Currents/Currents-81-JobsSalaries2013.pdf

 

World continues to heavily rely upon fossil fuels for energy
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=fossil-fuel-use-continues-to-rise

 

Sea serpents and Earthquakes…..should we be worried??!!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/10398931/Oarfish-discovery-sparks-sea-serpent-earthquake-fears.html

 

Earthquake in the Philippines last week created rock scarp up to 10 feet high and 3+ miles long
http://www.technology.org/2013/10/25/philippine-earthquake-creates-miles-long-rocky-wall/

 

What do you want to know about T-Rex?
http://www.nature.com/news/palaeontology-the-truth-about-t-rex-1.13988?WT.ec_id=NATURE-20131024

 

If it’s a rocket…rush indoors BUT if it’s an earthquake…rush outdoors!!
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/25/world/middleeast/in-quake-prone-israel-public-is-advised-to-take-cover-this-time-outside.html

 

Analyzing the seismic response of landfills (with video)
http://www.cenews.com/news-nsf_funded_research_team_analyzes_seismic_response_of_landfills__with_videos_-2535.html

 

Humans make huge amounts of garbage…one challenge is what to do with it?
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=material-remains-the-perpetual-challenge-of-garbage

 

“SoilDoc” to provide on-site testing of soil characteristics

http://www.seeddaily.com/reports/New_soil_testing_kit_for_third_world_countries_999.html

 

Poaching of fossils from fames sites robs science of the knowledge they provide
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/22/science/plundering-science-bone-by-bone.html

 

What the fossil of a baby dinosaur reveals about how they grew up
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/oct/22/beautiful-baby-dinosaur-delights-palaeontologists

 

Toxic legacy of mining for rare earth elements for all those high tech devices
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/23/business/international/china-tries-to-clean-up-toxic-legacy-of-its-rare-earth-riches.html

 

Realizing the significant value of sand dunes along the coast to protect against hurricanes
http://www.onearth.org/articles/2013/10/can-sand-dunes-save-our-cities

 

GOCE satellite has completed mission of detailed mapping of Earth gravity (link to results)
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/GOCE/GOCE_completes_its_mission

 

This assemblage of crystals was the most expensive item at a recent auction
http://www.livescience.com/40590-purple-cube-crystal-tops-auction-sales.html

 

Next big EQ in Pacific Northwest could trigger dangerous landslides in Seattle area
http://www.geologytimes.com/research/Quake-triggered_landslides_pose_significant_hazard_for_Seattle_new_study_details_potential_damage.asp

 

Do the “global warming alarmists” know that annual CO2 emissions in the US continue to drop?
http://www.livescience.com/40600-us-carbon-dioxide-emissions-drop.html

 

Gold content of trees may be useful tool to prospecting for deeper deposits
http://www.livescience.com/40603-gold-found-in-eucalyptus-trees.html

 

Using game theory to attempt to settle disputes over water resources
http://www.earthmagazine.org/article/gaming-system-caspian-sea-can-game-theory-solve-decades-old-dispute

"Statistics are people with the tears wiped away."  -- Unknown, said at a conference on the response to Hurricane Katrina